Jordan Hill went straight for his father. Larry Hill was in the handicapped seating behind Penn State's bench. It was his first game in a while, but he wasn't missing the end of his son's career.

Even Habeeb/US Presswire

"I actually jumped up in the stands," the senior defensive tackle said. "... The first thing that went through my head was my dad and going to see him and thanking him for everything he had done for me."

Within Penn State's 24-21 overtime win over Wisconsin on Saturday were stories like Hill's. The players arrived to the stadium to find the usual wall of fans lining the Beaver Stadium entrance.

Most went straight to the locker room, but Hill lingered. He hugged every member of his family, then did so again during the Senior Day pre-game ceremonies.

Then Hill went out and played the best game of his career. He made a career-high 12 tackles, including three for losses and two sacks, in almost single-handedly disrupting the Wisconsin offense. Hill made eight tackles (three for losses) in the fourth quarter and overtime alone.

He also did so despite aggravating a knee injury in the fourth quarter that has hindered him over the past month. Still, Hill returned to make a sack and tackle for loss on Wisconsin's final series, which ultimately ended with the tying touchdown.

"The only thing that was going through my mind every time I hit the field was, 'I'm not losing this game,'" Hill said. "When you set that type of goal, at least for me, it makes me play a lot better. It being Senior night, my last game, and with everything we've been through, it wasn't the way to end this ballgame."

Several Big Ten coaches last week called Hill one of the conference's best players. He should be a lock for the all-conference team when it's announced Monday. But he found an even higher gear on Saturday.

On the play before Wisconsin scored the tying touchdown, Hill wiped out running back Montee Ball for a 2-yard loss. Ball ran to the defense's right side, a tendency Hill said he noticed after watching nearly two years worth of Wisconsin's goal-line offense. Hill also stunted through two linemen to make the play.

Then in overtime, Hill tracked down Ball from behind as the back tried to the turn the right corner. Ball gained just 1 yard on the play. Sean Stanley's sack, followed by Glenn Carson's near-interception, set up the Badgers' fourth-and-12 field-goal atttempt. Kicker Kyle French missed from 44 yards.

"Jordan Hill made an unbelievable play there," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "It looked like it was blocked up. If he didn't block that one, I think that Montee would have been in the end zone. It was a big hit."

"He played the best game of his career tonight," linebacker Mike Mauti said of Hill. "You could see it in his eyes before the game. When he's in the zone, he's unbelievable. It's been an honor to play with him."